Day 18 - A Story from my Childhood

I immediately knew what to write for this post.  I was fortunate enough to grow up on a farm close to both sides of my family.  Growing up, one of my favorite things was getting to spend time with Granny over the summer.  My dad would take us with him in his truck Ol' Green (a 1974(?) green Ford truck) and we'd spend the day at the farm.  My brother would usually be outside working with the guys, and I'd go through the morning routine with Granny.  If we got there early enough, I'd get to help make the beds and do any early prep for dinner (on the farm, the noon meal is dinner and the evening meal is supper - got it?), which usually consisted of dessert that early :)  We had dessert at almost every meal growing up.

After dessert was cooking or ready, we'd go watch some music videos.  By music videos, I mean country music videos that included the singers that were popular when Granny was younger.  Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Johnny Cash, and Eddy Arnold to name a few.  Then it was time to cook dinner.  I always admired how she rarely had to use recipe cards to whip up a good meal for the guys, and everything always tasted so good.  My job was to set the table.  She showed me where the forks, spoons and knives went, and I still vividly remember the napkin holder that was from the 70's with mushrooms that were green and orange.  I remember when it was meatloaf day, we'd put mustard and ketchup on it instead of just ketchup.  Or with the bread (we always had a slice of bread), she'd put the jelly on first and the butter on top.  I've never done that anywhere other than at Granny's.

My Papa would always start the dinner prayer:

Come Lord Jesus

Be our guest

And let this meal to us be blessed

We thank thee Lord

For meat and drink

Through Jesus Christ

Amen.

Then I'd help to clear the dishes.  Granny always did the dishes right after dinner and almost always had a spotless kitchen.  It also helped to pass the time while we waited the obligatory hour before we could get into our swimsuits and could go swimming!!!  That was one of the best things about growing up - we could always go swimming anytime we wanted and could more than likely have the entire pool to ourselves :)

We'd swim for a couple hours and then come back in just in time for "soda pop" and snacks.  I always remember drinking Mountain Dew, and that flavor takes me back to those days every time.  One of my favorite treats was an ice cream cone.  Granny would put one scoop of ice cream in the cone, then pour either chocolate or strawberry syrup in the middle and top with another scoop of ice cream.  It was always a surprise when you got to the middle!!

Then we'd usually play some games, like UNO or Rook or Go Fish until time to go home.

My favorite days were when my cousins would come and spend the day too.  There would be anywhere between 2 and 5 of us grandkids there for the day.  I had so much fun growing up there and wouldn't trade my experience for the world.

Granny and Papa, circa 1959 (my dad is the little one in front)